Hook jaw wire connector



Dec. 24, 1940. s, BARRQN 5R 2,225,947

HOOK JAW WIRE vCONNECTOR Filed July 5, 1939 i NVENTORI$1 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOOK JAW WIRE CONNECTOR Langclon S. Barron, Sr., St. Louis, Mo., assignor of one-halfito James A. Weaver, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.

Application July 5, 1939, Serial No. 282,855

6 Claims. (Cl. 24263) This invention pertains to wire connectors, as shown with a pendent loop for facilitating use commonly used in electrical installations for conupon live wires by means of an insulated tool.

necting tap or service lines to the main lines, or Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of an assembly for any similar purpose. similar to that of Figure l, the pendent loop 5 An important object of the invention is to however being omitted. provide in simple, practical and unitary form, Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the assembly a connector including an apertured base or wire of Figure 2. pp er av a lower j w projeot- Figure 4 is a top view of the assembly of Figing laterally at one margin of the elongated ure 2.

'10 aperture, a oo pp j a ed over the Figure 5 is a side elevation .of the connector lower jaw and rockingly supported upon a alone, the upper jaw being drawn up and rocked threaded s 0r bolt passed freely d w back from the lower jaw, as for the reception of through the aperture of the base and secured wires.

by a nut upon the lower protruded end of the Figure 6 is a top view of the assembly of Figstem, the upper margin of the base being cut ure 5. 15 angularly away back of the upper movable j w, Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the base whereby this jaw may be raised and rocked rearmember. wardly for inserting wires between the jaws, the Figure 8 is a perspective detail of the upper latter being then drawn together upon the wires hooked jaw, stem, and nut and washer thereon.

by turning up the nut. Figure 9 is a front view of the elements shown 29 Another object is to provide a wire connector in Figure 8. comprising a lower base member having an ovate In carrying out this invention I provide a and downwardly flaring aperture therethrough, somewhat elongated base member or wire supthe pp g n t ereof being beveled off at port 5, having an ovate, longitudinally disposed one end of the aperture, the opposite end maraperture 6 formed therethrough at one end, this 25 gin being widened and a relatively large, troughaperture being flared downwardly and forwardly like or V-shaped jaw being formed transversely on its long axis, the side walls of the aperture therein, a hooked and flattened upper jaw on being parallel. This construction leaves a a threaded stem passed freely down through the relatively wide margin at the opposite end of 30 base aperture and secured by a nut, the back the aperture and which is not rounded off at its 0 and shank .of the upper jaw being widened on outer face, and a wide, beveled groove or guide its own plane for holding the upper jaw in alignway 1 is formed centrally down over this outer ment over the lower jaw, there being relatively face. A relatively large, trough-like or V- small trough-like or inverted V-shaped projecshaped wire engaging jaw 8 is formed transtions extended laterally from the bight of the versely on the upper side .of this wider margin, 35 hooked upper jaw adapted to seat within the the same overlying the forwardly flared under larger V-shaped lower jaw for engaging relaend of the aperture 6 and cutting into the adtively small wires, the upper jaw being thus jacent end of the ovate aperture 6 at the upper adapted when raised to rock backwards in the side thereof and leaving at either side the four base aperture for admitting wires between the upstanding points 9 demarking the jaw 8. The 40 jaws. upper margins ofthe aperture 6 are beveled off Another object is to provide in combination downwardly from the inner points 9 rearwardly, with the form of connector above, referred to, a as shown at H). nut for the threaded stem of the upper jaw, said A flattened and hooked upper jaw I2 supported nut having a loop pendently secured thereto for integrally upon a threaded stem or bolt [3 is 45 facilitating the use of the connector upon live provided, the stem being freely passed down wires. through the aperture 6, where it is retained op- The foregoing as well as certain other objects eratively in place by the flattened shank portions and advantages are secured through the prel2a of the jaw playing freely into the aperture,

ferred embodiment of the invention and conand by a nut l4 threaded upon the protruded 50 stituent structural features shown in the drawlower end of the stem I3, a washer I5 being ining as a part of the specification, and wherein: terposed if desired. A pendent loop I6 may be Figure 1 is a side elevation of the connector secured to the nut I4 for facilitating applicawith two wires locked therein, the wires being tion of the connector to a live wire. Relatively shown in section. The nut of this assembly is small, trough-like or inverted V-shaped projec- 55 tions or lugs [8 are integrally formed with and extended laterally from the bight of the hooked upper jaw 12 and are adapted to seat within the trough of the larger V-shaped lower jaw 8 for engaging relatively small wires and so that the two jaws may be accurately and closely drawn together.

With the described construction of the elements, the upper jaw l2 and stem l3, (the nut l4 being retracted or lowered upon the stem or or bolt) may be elevated through the aperture 6, and rocked rearwardly as shown in Figure 5, thus fully opening the two jaws for the reception of the wires l9 and 20. After the Wires are inserted the upper jaw is dropped, and the downtumed hook or nose l2b of the jaw automati cally falls into the guide groove 1, and the outer upstanding points 9 of the lower jaw, thereby holding the upper jaw against lateral displacement.

It is to be noted that the upwardly extended opening 120 of the upper jaw is inclined rearwardly into the flattened head of the jaw, so that a preponderant mass .of this jaw lies rearward of the long axis of the stem l3.- Consequently as the stem is pushed up through the aperture 6, the jaw 12 automatically rocks or falls rearward into theouter end of this ovate aperture, thus fully opening the jaws to the wires, and exposing the lower jaw so that the wires may be placed directly thereon. The stem l3 being then released, the upper jaw automatically drops down over the wires with the nose 12b automatically falling into the groove 1. The nut I4 is then turned up tightly for completing the joint. Owing to the elongated ovate aperture 6 and the flattened structure of the shank of the upper jaw [2, which plays into this aperture, the elements and jaws are automatically held in proper and operative alignment.

For use on dead wires the loop l6 would be omitted and by taking the connector between thumb and forefinger of one hand and using another finger of the hand to push the stem upward, the upper jaw as it rises, automatically falls back, as above stated. For use on live wires the looped form of nutmay be used, and a small insulated rod (not shown) may be passed through the loop for turning up the nut.

It is thought that the construction, use and operation of the device will be fully understood from the above description. The connector described is simple, compact, efficient, its elements unitarily assembled so as not to become separated or lost, and it may be quickly and readily manipulated by the fingers of one hand only.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is here described and shown, various structural changes may be made therein as found desir able, and within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A wire connector comprising a base member having a jaw formed on one margin and an elongate aperture formed through the member with its long axis directed toward the jaw, a threaded stem passed freely through the aperture of the base, a flattened, hooked upper jaw on the threaded stem aligned above the lower jaw, the said upper jaw having flattened shank portions adapted to freely engage the elongate base aperture for operatively aligning the jaws, and a nut on the protruded lower end of the threaded stem.

2. A wire connector comprising an elongate base having a transverse jaw on one end and an ovate aperture formed through the base with its long axis extended perpendicularly adjacent the jaw, said aperture flaring downwardly .on its long axis and forwardly under the jaw, a threaded stem passed freely through the aperture of the base, a flattened, hooked upper jaw on the threaded stem aligned over the lower jaw, the said upper jaw having flattened shank parts freely engaging the ovate base aperture for mutual automatic alignment as the jaws are closed together, the preponderant mass of the upper jaw being disposed rearwardly of the threaded stem, wherebythe upper jaw automatically falls backward as raised, and a nut on the lower end of the stem protruded through the apertured base.

3. A wire connector comprising an elongate base having an ovate aperture formed therethrough and disposed towards one end thereof, leaving a wider rectilinear margin at the other end, a lower jaw formed transversely on this wider margin, a threaded stem passed freely through the base aperture with a nut on the lower end thereof, a flattened, hook-like upper jaw at the upper end of the stem, the same having flattened shank parts and inverted trough-like projections extended laterally from the upper bight portion aligned and adapted to co-act with the lower jaw, the flattened shank parts of the upper jaw freely engaging the ovate base aperture as the jaws are closed together for holding the parts in operative alignment, the preponderant mass of the upper jaw disposed rearwardly for causing this jaw to automatically fall back as raised.

4. In a structure as defined in claim 3, with the ovate aperture of the base flared downwardly and forwardly beneath the lower jaw for accommodating the stem of the upper jaw as the latter is rocked rearwardly through the aperture.

5. In a structure as defined in claim 3, with the upper side and rear margins of the ovate aperture of the base beveled off for accommodating the stern of the upper jaw as the latter is rocked rearwardly.

6. In a structure as defined in claim 3, with the outer forward face of the base member formed with a medial guide-groove for engaging the hook of the upper jaw and preventing lateral movement thereof.

LANGDON S. BARRON, SR. 

